Waterworks in Phoenix
Fowler breaks down after loss
Rickie Fowler broke down in tears in the media center after his playoff loss Sunday in the Waste Management Phoenix Open, overcome by emotion talking about his family.
“The hard part is having all my friends and family and grandpa and my dad who haven’t seen me win,” Fowler said. “But I will be able to kind of hang with them tonight. I’ll be all right.”
He hit two balls into the water on the par4 17th hole — the first in regulation and the second on the fourth and final extra hole — to give Hideki Matsuyama an unexpected victory.
“This one hurts,” Fowler said.
He blew a twoshot lead on the 317yard 17th in regulation when he blasted a driver through the green and into the water, with the ball traveling nearly 360 yards.
“I’m hitting a chipcut driver,” Fowler said. “Usually, don’t expect it to hit on the downslope and then go 360.”
Using a 3wood on the hole in the playoff, he pulled his drive into the lake just short of the green.
“Hit it solid,” Fowler said. “Just hit it a little high on the face and it just got up and left a little quicker than I was expecting and wanted.”
Matsuyama birdied the hole in regulation to tie for the lead, chipping to 2 ¹/₂ feet. In the playoff, he chipped to 6 feet and twoputted for the win after Fowler missed his 10foot par putt.
“Surprised and sad that Rickie finished that way, but all I can do is my best,” Matsuyama said through a translator. “I was lucky to come out on top.”
Fowler forced the playoff with a 10foot birdie putt on the par4 18th after Matsuyama made an 18footer. They each shot 4under 67 to finish at 14under 270 at TPC Scottsdale’s (Ariz.) Stadium Course.
“The putt I made there was probably the best putt I have ever made in my life,” Matsuyama said.
Willett hangs on in Dubai
In Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Danny Willett withstood the pressure and made a 15foot birdie putt on the final hole to win the Dubai Desert Classic title by one shot.
The 28yearold Willett closed with 3under par 69 at Emirates Golf Club to finish on a 19under 269, one shot better than fellow Englishman Andy Sullivan (68) and Spain’s Rafael CabreraBello (69).
The two pretournament favorites — Rory McIlroy (65) and Henrik Stenson (66) — finished tied for sixth on 273.
Toledo prevails in playoff
In Boca Raton, Fla., Esteban Toledo parred the third playoff hole to win the Allianz Championship over Billy Andrade on a cold, windy day at Broken Sound Club.
Toledo made a 4foot par putt after Andrade’s 5foot par try lipped out on the par4 17th hole. Three of Toledo’s four PGA Tour Champions titles have come in playoffs. Toledo (67) and Andrade (68) finished at 11under 205.